Systemic racism among Black occupational therapy educators and academic leaders: A mixed methods study

Importance: Research critically examining how systemic racism operates within academic occupational therapy environments is limited, despite its disruption to professional advancement and occupational engagement for Black faculty. Objective: To examine the lived and measurable experiences of systemic racism among Black occupational therapy educators and academic leaders. Design: A convergent mixed-methods design used parallel qualitative (hermeneutic phenomenological) and quantitative data collection. Rigor was established through researcher triangulation, peer debriefing, and member checking. Setting: Predominantly White Institutions and Historically Black Colleges and Universities across five U.S. regions. Participants: A purposive and snowball sample of 58 Black occupational therapy educators and academic leaders. Outcomes and Measures: Lived experiences, frequency of racism, and the relationship between belonging and systemic racism were evaluated via a 41-item survey and semi-structured interviews. Results: The final sample included 58 survey respondents and 17 interviewees. Participants reported moderate-to-high levels of racism (63.8%), significantly greater at predominantly White institutions (p p = .016), reduced alignment with workplace values (p = .009), and less favorable workplace support (p Conclusion and Relevance: Systemic racism is a persistent barrier to belonging and career advancement for Black occupational therapy educators. Findings underscore the need for intentional institutional strategies to promote equity, retention, and inclusive academic environments.